


Shoreline

by colorfulCheshire



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Drabble, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-04
Updated: 2016-07-04
Packaged: 2018-07-19 23:50:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7382512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/colorfulCheshire/pseuds/colorfulCheshire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This isn't at all what Kankri had imagined when Cronus first brought up spending a day at sea together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shoreline

**Author's Note:**

> Little drabble that popped up while _trying_ to fill a prompt. I lost steam to transition to the actual prompt part, and this became a stand-alone idea in of itself that would take the focus from the prompt idea, so I decided to chop it for now and keep it as is. I'm more than slightly interested in continuing this, whether by updating or adding a chapter, I haven't decided yet.
> 
> When on the fence like this, feedback is super appreciated. I mean, it's always appreciated, but if you want to see more, let me know. If you don't know what you want to see more of, at least tell me what you liked. Idk man, it lets me know what directions are good directions, inspiration and all that jazz.
> 
> Can you tell I haven't written fic in forever from these notes? Man it feels good to be out of a block, you don't even know.
> 
> Hope you enjoy your gay fish.

“Cronus, I-” Kankri’s hesitant voice stops, brow furrowed over wary eyes as he watches shallow waves lapping at the shore only a foot or so in front of him. He takes a tentative step onto the shining, wet sand once a wave retreats, his expression showing both discomfort and uncertainty as his foot sinks nearly an inch into the soft, gritty earth. He’s quiet a moment longer as pale eyes watch the water return to rush over the top of his foot, when he seems to suddenly remember that he was in the middle of voicing his displeasure. “I don’t think this is a very good idea.”

A cool hand meets the dip between his shoulder blades, sending a small shiver from that point of his spine to his hairline at his neck and Kankri now finds himself more aware of the temperature difference between the cool waves lapping at his feet and the warmer air around them. He doesn’t turn to look at his matesprit, merely keeping his eyes to the expanse of sea that stretches before him all the way to what’s either the horizon or the shimmering border of this particular memory, one of Cronus’ judging by the uncharacteristic warmth of the shore air and from the lack of ostentatious castles and statues that he’s sure would be tell of the other seadweller in their group. Cronus doesn’t seem to mind his stillness, however, as he steps closer, his hand sliding down Kankri’s spine and around his waist and tugging him to his side to press a kiss against one of the shorter troll’s nubby horns.

“It’ll be _fine_ , doll,” Cronus insists, nuzzling Kankri’s hair while the thumb at his side strokes warm skin. Kankri shivers, Cronus’ soothing touch not even an inch away from mutant-red gills that are starting to open in response to the smell and feel of the warm sea breeze. “Since you nevwer drowned or almost-drowned before, uh, vwell before this,” with his free hand, Cronus motions to the scene around them, implying the bubble where they currently reside, his hesitance to admit their deaths not unnoticed by the troll at his side, “then you don’t know vwhat it’s like; so you can’t remember how to drown, right? _Besides_ , you’vwe got a working set of gills, don’t you?”

Kankri hesitates even as he leans his weight into his matesprit, now hyper-aware of the cooler ridges in Cronus’ side that are the seadweller’s opening gills. They’re usually sealed shut, deep lines almost like strangely-clean scars cut into the gray skin on either side of the highblood’s ribcage and neck, save for when Kankri can catch him directly after a shower or bath, when he can spy intense violet filaments from inside the open slits. Kankri himself only has the three gill-slits on either side of his ribs, not that he should have any at all, but considering they’re a part of his mutation, he’s not even sure if he can assume that the anatomy of Cronus’ are the same as his own or if his own even work all that properly without a set along his neck as well.

“Baby,” Cronus addresses him after Kankri’s quiet a little too long. The cool arm around the redblood’s back slides away, leaving only a firm hand at his waist as Cronus moves to stand in front of him, his other hand lifting to cup Kankri’s cheek, nudging the shorter troll to meet his eyes. “Kanni, babe, it’ll be fine, I promise. I’ll be right there the whole time and if anything goes wrong, I’ll just remember another place to be. I nevwer stayed in the vwater all that much anyvway; it vwon’t be hard to get us outta there if you need.”

A warm hand raises to cover his hand against Kankri’s cheek, even as Kankri avoids meeting his lover’s intense gaze. It’s not that he doesn’t trust him, but he’s still not so sure about this. Landwellers were never meant to swim, much less, swim in the ocean. “Cronus . . .” he sighs, full lips pressed thin as he tries to think of what to say. Cronus seems to have more patience, understanding, or both this time, but even when given room to think, the hesitant troll still can’t come up with a good enough reason to justify his apprehension. “Why do you even want to do this so badly?” he finally asks, his expression showing both exasperation and mild annoyance.

He almost expects whining or begging from his persistent matesprit, but when Cronus doesn’t respond in any fashion for a beat, Kankri finds himself looking back up to meet a sincere expression that throws him off guard. He swallows thickly, too stunned and confused to protest when the seadweller tugs him against his chest, a strong arm slipping around his slight frame to hold him close. Kankri breaks his gaze, face flushing warm with faint red, but as Cronus leans in to press their foreheads together, it’s nearly impossible not to see how intently the violetblood is looking at him. Cronus’ voice is quiet when he speaks, as if sharing a secret to keep from the rest of the world, “There’s so much down there I vwant to show you, babe, things I _know_ you’ll lovwe. I vwanna share them vwith you.”

The heat in Kankri’s face has only grown more intense, even as Cronus pulls back, arm loosening around his waist as he grins down at the blushing redblood. “Besides,” he continues at a normal volume, earning Kankri’s attention out of curiosity and a mild sense of familiar dread upon catching site of that mischievous sharp-toothed grin, “vwhenevwer I remind you that you’re the most beautiful thing I’vwe evwer laid eyes on, you’ll havwe a better idea of vwhat sort of scale vwe’re vworking vwith here.”

Round eyes widen in shock and mild disgust before narrowing into an obviously annoyed glare. Kankri pushes himself from his matesprit’s grasp to march off toward the water with a huff, leaving Cronus feigning hurt with his hands dropped defeatedly at his sides. Kankri’s nearly gill-deep in water when the seadweller seems to snap out of his dramatic show and hurries after him.

“H-hey, babe, vw-vw-vwait up!”


End file.
